Am I just "the worried well"?

Nine months ago I was fit and training for 25k. I'm 53 and in the throes of menopause. Suddenly, I started to feel "off colour". Symptoms: fatigue (as in totally knackered); constant nausea; feeling "full" all the time; waistline/abdomen expanding; unable to lie on my sides due to nausea/abdominal discomfort so, sleeping propped up. My GP referred me to a gastroenterologist (for all things digestive).

Left it 4 months but went back today with continuing symptoms. Nothing's changed only now I have to undo all my zips I'm so "fat" and I feel like I'm about to go pop! I'm SO uncomfortable. GP said it's probably menopause and to keep taking the irritable bowel syndrome meds (I honestly don't think it's IBS) and anti nausea tablets (even in the night if it wakes me up) and because I have high BP and a family history of stroke, I can't have hrt.

I could cry. I've gone from being as fit as a flea and slim to a stone plus overweight, no energy and feeling like I have constant "morning sickness" to go with having swallowed a brick.

You're clearly not 'worried well' because you're not well. Perhaps you should post on the meno topic (not sure exactly what it's called but I know there is one) in case your GP is right and someone else has experienced these symptoms (I'm 54 and haven't had anything like that) . If they have then they may have suggestions - if not then maybe he's wrong and fobbing you off with 'probably menopause' sounds pretty poor.

Hadn't thought of gluten but already do make our own bread. But from time to time we have shop bought. Then again, my symptoms don't waver or change so, possibly not the bread.

My GP said the abdominal scan, which showed only small cysts on my liver, kidneys and lungs (nothing to worry about apparently) looked at ovaries as well and they were fine. I thought ovaries showed on a PELVIC scan? I had liver, spleen, kidney and gall bladder.

You see, they HAVE done loads of tests and nothing's really shown up.

Will post again, on meno thread and take a trip to the health shop for natural remedies. I take those Yakult things.

I don't want to frighten you - your symptoms are not the same anyway but please don't give up going back to the GP and demanding that something more be done - you are not well.The reason I say this is because my mum went back and forth to 6 or 7 different GP's since September last year - she was fobbed off with medication and her symptoms were blamed on the menopause (she's 54)In February this year she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and in March we got the news that it was terminal. They are not always right.Please go back, every few days if necessary.

I have already replied to your post on the meno forum here.I'm pleased to see that others here have suggested a scan of your ovaries - transvaginal. I have had loads of those as I had a cyst. I was scanned for 2 years every few months.

A pelvic scan is not as accurate as a transvaginal scan- that is what I was told by the radiologist.

You need to look at the Ovacome site link I posted, go back to your GP and demand a TV scan. Sadly, too many women die from ovarian cancer because it is diagnosed too late.

If you look at the symptoms for ovarian cancer, you have most of them. I think you ought to go to your GP and say this. They may reassure you that a CT scan of your abdo would have picked it up, but you still need to ask.

Your symptoms have nothing to do with meno except perhaps the weight gain and tiredness.It could be IBS but that doesn't cause feeling sick and being unable to lie on your sides. You may have some severe kind of food intolerance and that is another avenue to pursue once the ovary issues have been assessed.

I had an abdominal ct scan to provide more detail following on from a pelvic ultrasound when there was a query over an ovarian cyst so I think it's likely that the reassurance you have been given is accurate op.

Not sure what to make of your symptoms though. Persist with gp if you're still not right.

If you do have IBS or suspect it, then you ought to follow the FODMAP diet for 8 weeks to see if that helps. Info is all over the web but ideally you should see a dietitian (NHS or privately) to support you through it.Many people who use the diet also avoid gluten and dairy initially to see if that helps.If there is nothing obviously physically wrong then the obvious other issue is a food intolerance which is what IBS is in some cases.